Brain Health | Thoughtful resolutions

No, we are not powerless against the development of dementia as we age. Contrary to popular belief, genetics and advanced age are not the only factors determining the onset of the disease, and certain lifestyle habits can contribute to its containment or attenuation. The Public Health Agency of Canada has just launched a campaign highlighting these.

According to data from 2018, there were nearly half a million people over the age of 65 suffering from some form of dementia. And yet, this is only the tip of the iceberg, underlines the doctor of neurological sciences and science popularizer Martin Carli, spokesperson for the government initiative, since many cases very likely pass under the radar of the official diagnoses.

The forms and symptoms of the pathology appear like a hydra, with a range of consequences (decline in memory faculties, judgment, coordination, etc.) and risk factors. However, among the latter, ordinary mortals tend to overestimate the role of genetic baggage. “There is a tendency to believe that genetics has more impact than it really does, when it is linked to a minority of cases. But there are risk factors that we can act on,” explains Mr. Carli. There are a dozen of them, ranging from physical inactivity to hearing loss, through excessive alcohol consumption or social isolation.

The Federal Public Health Agency thus wishes to encourage everyone, whatever their age and condition, to adopt reflexes and lifestyles capable of minimizing the risk of contracting a form of dementia.

Among the many possible strategies, there are safe bets, which also make it possible to kill several birds with one stone, since they will also play a role in the prevention of other diseases. “We are obviously talking first of all about physical activity and combating a sedentary lifestyle. Generally, what is good for the body is also good for the brain, even if it is more difficult to measure. You can’t ignore a healthy, balanced diet either, with a higher proportion of fruits and vegetables,” says the scientist.

Also, cutting down on smoking and alcohol is far from a crazy idea; especially when we know that tobacco causes a 60% increase in the risk of dementia. “We can act on chronic health problems, such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, but also other more unsuspected factors, such as sleep and socialization. »

It is not a question of implementing all these initiatives at once – at the risk of weighing down the lot, which would end up in the graveyard of resolutions, alongside those still hot from the New Year –, but of prioritizing one or two, letting yourself be guided by pleasure rather than constraint. Martin Carli himself leads by example, since he has pledged as part of the campaign to marry his sheets an extra hour daily (rather cozy oath), as well as to learn Italian, in tribute to his Tuscan origins (will he keep his word?).

“The objective is to stimulate the brain, because its remodeling, called ‘plasticity’, will take place as these stimulations occur. And that works at any age, you’re never too old to learn something new,” he insists, also stressing that even if the first symptoms of dementia appear, it’s not too late to adopt healthy habits.